I Became My Healer Elf Character-Chapter 123: Hope and Despair

What the dragon said was true. A small clearing provided a world, entirely barricaded off from the outside. Magic particles glittered in the air, forming a thin barrier to ward off the outside. A mote surrounded a tall mushroom manor, and fairies danced among beds of flowers hanging from the windows.

They landed on the expansive lawn at the front of the shroom mansion. Each of the girls followed Hikari in leaping off the dragon, and the dragon herself transformed in a flash.

The moment her transformation completed, a woman rushed out of the door way. She was tall, yet she looked like the fairies surrounding her. Beautiful wings graced her back, and fairy dust fell from them every time they flapped. The woman had elven ears—though angled slightly downwards.

She landed in front of the group with grace and a thin smile. "It's been so, so long."

However, Hikari's mouth hung open. She'd certainly seen this girl before. It was not anything she'd expected. Maybe the elf thought it would be one of her lost subordinates, or maybe she expected the person to be a crazed hermit who'd rush at her. She never thought she'd see another player again.

And it seemed Syndra was equally surprised. She looked upon the fairy tamer in shock, her fluffy ears twitching. "Mortia? Is that you?"

The woman in question shrugged. "It seems I go by many names now, but that is an older one. Yes, you may call me that. I didn't expect that I would be so popular." Mortia beckoned the group with her hand. "Come, I'll make you all some tea."

Hikari nodded and turned to the group, signaling that it was safe. She watched the fairy woman beckon some of her little friends. Mortia whispered to each of the fairies, telling them that they had honored guests.

As Hikari approached the manor, she took it all in. It was a large three-tiered mushroom. It was like three mushrooms connected together, and it went up to the top. Each heads of the mushrooms had windows, and all of the windows had flowers hanging from them. It seemed that the fairies kept the flowers alive and pollinated them.

The elf could see that some of the bloomed flowers were pink in color and had a magical aura surrounding them. This aura connected to the barrier surrounding the mote of this place.

Once the group walked inside, they were greeted by the scent of sweet herbs. All around the room, there were herbs and flowers hanging from pots or stored in some type of glass vial.

Ayase took in the sight with a mixture of awe and longing. "This feels more like a real witch's cabin. How would I ever compare?"

Hikari patted the girl on the head. "Comparison is the murderer of joy. If you want to be happy, you should only compare yourself to your past self."

Mortia turned around and gestured to a little tea table, pointing towards the white chairs. "There's not room for all of you, but some of you can sit on the stairs since the table is close to them."

Hikari took a seat at one of the white chairs, and the surrounding fairies got to work with producing the tea. They took one of the nearby herbs stored in the pots and mixed it with a strange yellow mushroom. They boiled it in a pot, until the smell wafted through the house.

Mortia's wings became even more translucent as she took her seat across from the elf. They went through the chair like ghost wings. The fairy smiled and clutched a tea cup handed to her.

"As I said before, it's been a very long time. I'm surprised you'd join me here."

Hikari sniffed the tea presented to her, taking in the heavenly aroma. It reminded her of the tea she'd gotten from Amelia. Though, this one was certainly even better smelling. She took a sip, delighted by the flavors presented to her taste buds. freewёbnoνel.com

Mortia grinned at the elf. "I knew you would like it. You always were a sucker for this kind of tea."

The elf nodded. "I do love tea."

"It feels almost like old times," the tall fairy said. She looked longingly towards Hikari's face, scoping for a change in expression, and ultimately finding nothing. "I guess your memories are really gone for good."

Hikari swallowed the tea and sighed. "I know of you, at least, but I've no recollection of this place. To me, you are Mortia—the fairy tamer. A popular player among the game version of this world."

The fairy girl nodded. "Yes, that is indeed true. I was a popular player, but that's not all." The girl grabbed a nearby fan, sprinkling fairy dust into her tea. "I'm the Goddess of Fairies and the Veil."

"What? You're a goddess? What is the veil?"

Mortia frowned and sighed. "You really did erase your memories. I can't believe you'd do something so foolish for such a silly reason." The fairymancer pointed towards the windows where the flowers were giving off the pink hue. "In essence, the Veil is similar to the barrier that protects this place. Except, it's more like a veil between worlds. Think of it like a membrane that separates universes. That is the place I'm in charge of."

Hikari's eyes widened. If what Mortia said was true, then that would make her unbelievably strong. It would be like controlling all of the highways that connect realities together. Such a thing…

Mortia clasped onto Hikari's hands. "I've been watching you this whole time. I've been waiting for you to show up here."

"I don't understand. Who are you? You said you're a player. Doesn't that mean you have different memories, too?"

The fairy girl shook her head. "I wasn't the same kind of player as someone like Syndra. I actually came from this world. I've been diligently watching you and upholding a long promise."

As if to respond to Hikari's unanswered question, the fairymancer summoned a fairy that Hikari was all to familiar with.

Senjo looked up at the both of them with eyes half-lidded and tired, but once she realized where she was, the little fairy girl grinned. She flew towards Hikari's face and hugged her nose. "My Queen!"

Mortia found herself laughing into her hand. "It's always like this. When Hikari's around, you're no longer cuddling with me."

Senjo shook her head. "Don't take it the wrong way. This is just the natural order of things."

Mortia shrugged, taking another sip of tea. "Don't worry. I feel the same." She looked up from her tea and took a deep breath. "Anyway, I think it's time you had some answers."

///

Long ago, Mortia served as the ambassador of Hope. She went from the queen of fairies, to the servant of an even greater mistress.

Fairies only acknowledge the laws which preside over them. It's only natural that they would seek out the stronger laws which rule over reality. For a normal fairy, pollinating magic power is as much as they can do. They can supplement the world with magic, bringing the higher realms into the lower realms.

The whole reason that many mortals can even use magic started with this phenomenon. The world's magic power is cultivated and spread by the fairies of lower order, and they each fall in line diligently. Those of higher orders can control the nature of fairies below them.

It continues up the chain, until you get to the magic of the Veil. To control the Veil, is to rule over all of the fairies in the multiverse. It is the ancient covenant that binds the lower order to the fabric of the weave. All magic is woven into the Veil, and connects each universe together like a thin barrier.

That is where Hikari comes in. What is an existence that presides even higher? That is the all-encompassing Light of Hope.

Hope is the very essence of life and light in the multiverse. For without Hope, nary a single star would have formed. Without the Hope that life would come to exist, there would be no nature.

Nature thrives on Hope. The trees Hope to reach their place in the Light. Mana is the Hope that one can cast magic. This is why the Light of Hope is the most vibrant thing in the universe. The complete antithesis of Despair.

However, Hope and Despair are two sides of the same coin. They exist within the same being and on the same plane. Despair is the complete end of everything.

Despair gives rise to war, famine, and disease. Despair is the complete void from which no life can exist. It's feared by everything, and it is the ultimate death. If the multiverse was ever taken by Despair, it would become the undoing.

The Veil would be broken, and all of life would be cast out.

"That's right, if Hikari—the Light of Hope—despaired, then what would remain?"